Vietnam’s first deepwater container terminal opened on Friday, and the new facility has already become the home to shipping unit APL’s new direct Vietnam-US service.
The US$240m Saigon Port-PSA facility in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is the first of its kind in the country, and will give a boost to the country’s rapidly growing container freight sector.
As it currently stands with its first phase opened, the new port has a 600m pier, and can handle 80,000 tonne ships and 1.1m tonnes of cargo, reported Cargo News Asia.
The port’s second stage is still being built, and will double cargo capabilities to 2.2m tonnes.
The new port was built by a joint venture between Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines), Saigon Port (SP) and Singapore’s PSA International.
APL’s new service at the port is undergoing trials at the moment, with the 3,821 TEU APL Alexandrite the first ship to use the new facilities. The new route will open 4 June.
“With this port, the first direct shipping service from Vietnam to North America is possible,” Vietnam’s deputy transport minister Tran Doan Tho told local media.
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